The Care and Keeping of Dragons
by Eilonwy MK
Summary: Hermione has joined Charlie Weasley as a dragonkeeper. Everything is wonderful until Draco Malfoy decides to involve himself in the dragon reserve. (Slow burn) (Eventual dramione) (Rating may change in later chapters)
1. Chapter 1

"Catch!" Hermione managed to freeze the keys flying towards her in midair. She summoned them closer at a more reasonable speed while giving Charlie a withering look. He laughed it off and circled the field once more before landing his broom by the gate Hermione was now locking. The sun was beginning to set and Hermione joined Charlie in watching the silhouettes of the dragons flying against the fading orange light. As the sun finally disappeared over the horizon Charlie turned to her and offered his arm to her with a joking smile.

"Shall we?" he offered. Hermione smiled and linked her arm with his. Together they ran down the hill to the lodge where the other keepers and handlers would be sitting down for dinner. Their close friendship had been the subject of many rumors after Hermione had shown up three years ago with no explanation. Charlie, who ran the entire Dragon Reserve, had hired her on the spot and taught her everything he knew about working with the beasts. She had learned quickly and had taken on much of the logistical work in running the place that Charlie didn't always have time for. When she had arrived he had written to his mother to let her know she was there and to ask what she knew, but Molly Weasley had been unwilling to drop any hints. She had suggested that Hermione might explain in time, but left it at that.

"The chef has certainly outdone herself with this one," Hermione mused as they walked down the line. The cafeteria style was the most efficient for getting everyone fed, but since they cooked on rotation the quality sometimes left something to be desired. This particular meal appeared to be an experiment in vegan fare, but was lumpy and hard in ways that didn't seem natural.

"Maybe after this season we'll make enough to hire a chef." It was an optimistic thought. The Reserve generally ran lean these days since the Ministry was using its funds for rebuilding after Voldemort's reign of terror. For much of wizarding society dragon-keeping was too far down on the list of charitable causes to be of much concern until things returned back to normal. Charlie had cut corners where he could and had refused to let any of the staff go, but with more dragons they had needed more hands. A chef would be a luxury for them reserved for the day when their regular funding returned. At least that was Charlie's hope. Hermione looked around and considered the keepers who were all deeply immersed in raucous conversation all along the long table they shared. Charlie recognized her calculating expression and leaned in closer.

"If we rethought some of the patrol boundaries we might be able to spare one or two people who could cut out early enough to work in the kitchens…" she said slowly, still working through the thought.

"We tried that last month, but we couldn't find anyone who knew enough dishes to get a variety," Charlie reminded her.

"But with two maybe they could teach each other and spend a little more time learning new things without the pressure of feeding the entire cohort on their own." Charlie smiled and leaned back.

"Worth a try, isn't it?" Hermione wrinkled her nose as she tried to push something green onto her fork that disintegrated as soon as she touched it. Charlie laughed and raised his glass to her.

"To new ideas!" he declared. The rest of the keepers, all immediately brought to attention by the raised ale, joined his toast.

"To new ideas! And to dragons!" They all roared together. This lot never missed an excuse to toast and celebrate.

A few hours later the keepers were starting to stumble off to bed. The evening had developed into a loud party as it often did, with some keepers digging up instruments while the rest sang and drank along to their favorite tunes. Charlie and Hermione had continued to chat about the logistics involved in getting a more consistent cook before joining the group and adding their own voices. Hermione even found herself dragged into a simulacrum of a square dance and the other dancers did not seem at all bothered by her lack of rhythm. At the end they all ended up in a heap, laughing until tears streamed from their eyes. The thing about keeping dragons is that it couldn't be done near civilization. Keepers lived on the Reserve and developed their own tight knit social group.

The next morning Hermione had thoughtfully laid out hangover cures along the table for anyone who might need it. She'd persuaded George Weasley to give her the recipe after Ron's wedding three years ago when she had, as she had put it, celebrated too hard. The other keepers just hugged her when they saw the vials and hurriedly gulped them down. Not the best taste, but worth the effects. Ford Everston had even landed a sloppy kiss on her cheek in thanks. Hermione blushed and ignored it, secretly grateful for the rumors that she and Charlie were involved because it kept the other keepers from getting too friendly. Charlie may have known about the rumors as well, but he had confided to her that he would never get involved with an employee now that he was in charge. The rumor benefited him too since it freed his time to focus solely on the dragons and the job of keeping them and the Reserve in good shape.

Today they were easing the dragons into a comfortable hibernation for the winter. Hermione and Charlie looked over the plan she had outlined on a long roll of parchment for the keepers to maintain the sleeping dragons over the next few months. It was simple in theory, but the diversity in dragons at the Reserve and the relatively small number of keepers made it a complex task. Charlie gave his final approval after finding no holes in Hermione's outline, and with a wave of his wand he duplicated the parchment and sent a copy zooming to each keeper at their plate.

Hermione had paired herself with Abigail Williams for the preparations of a common welsh green dragon that was fortunately interested in the nest they were fortifying for her. Keepers on the Reserve took every precaution in case another dragon awoke early and threatened to wreak havoc on any of its sleeping brethren. As they worked the two witches chatted amicably.

"She'll probably go into heat as soon as she's done hibernating, I reckon," Abigail suggested.

"How can you tell?" Hermione squinted at the yawning dragon trying to see what Abigail could.

"Just a sense, you know." She shrugged. "Sometimes you can tell."

"I'll let Charlie know in case we need to keep a closer eye on the males in the Spring," Hermione noted. Now finished with the reinforcements, Abigail turned to study Hermione's thoughtful expression.

"Aye. Best if the boss knows. They'll be a handful for sure." Hermione nodded and began to gather the tools they had brought out with them. The dragon's slowed breathing signalled the end of their task and together they began the long walk back to the lodge. On the way they talked more about the dragons when suddenly Abigail stopped.

"Can I ask you something, Hermione?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you and the boss… are you really…?" Hermione had stopped when Abigail did and at her question she started along the path again at a brisk pace. Abigail caught up with her and put her hand on her shoulder. Hermione stopped walking and closed her eyes.

"No," she said finally. She opened her eyes again and Abigail's knowing smile met her gaze. "How did you know?"

"Sometimes I just know. Same as with the dragons," she waved her arm in the direction of the dragon they had just prepared. "But you like him." That last sentence wasn't a question.

"Sure. We're good friends. We're practically family. But I… I guess I hadn't thought about it." Abigail nodded and as abruptly as she had broken from their chatter about the dragons she returned to it as if nothing else had been said. Hermione didn't know what to think. In the years she had been at the Reserve this had never come up and she had started to think it might not.

Back at the lodge Hermione excused herself and went up the stairs to her little room while Abigail happily went to join the card game some other keepers were playing by the fire. Hermione's room was just a bed, desk, dresser, and a mirror but it had always felt palacial to her. Here she had been able to get away and work in peace. She sat down at the desk and spread a roll of parchment out. Dipping her quill in the ink, Hermione began her letter.

 _Dear Harry,_

 _Hibernation season is here again. When are you coming to visit? I've missed you terribly and want to know everything that you've been up to! Please give my best to Ron. I got his postcard and it at least looks like he's having a good adventure with Lavender. I still can't believe she's a travel writer and got him to go with her. Not quite what we expected is it?_

 _-Hermione_

She gave it a final read through before sealing the letter. Last year Harry had found time between quidditch practices to come and see her for a few days during the hibernation season. The conversation with Abigail earlier had left Hermione feeling a little anxious and restless. The last time she had fancied someone it had ended awkwardly and then she'd had to watch him marry another witch. There was enough time and reconciliation between the breakup and the marriage so that she was happy for him, but there had been one too many people looking at her with pity and one person even had the gall to say "wasn't that supposed to be you?" It was at that wedding that Hermione had decided that fancying someone wasn't worth it and she just wanted to throw herself into work. Dragonkeeping had been a surprise to everyone when Hermione had announced she was leaving to work with Charlie, but she was clear about her intentions though she kept her motives a little closer to the chest. She wanted to get away but still feel like part of a big family and everything Charlie had told her during his visits made it clear this line of work fit her goals.

Hermione made her way to the small owlery the Reserve had only a short walk from the lodge and selected a sturdy barn owl to take her letter to Harry. It hooted officially before taking off with the letter attached to its leg and Hermione watched it with some relief. Harry would listen and be a good sounding board for her concerns about any silly feelings she might have towards Charlie. Though of course Abigail could have been wrong.

Her return to the lodge went mostly unnoticed. Abigail and the other keepers had gone out again, likely to race around on their brooms and enjoy the remaining nice weather before the end of autumn. Ford was the only one left in an overstuffed armchair by the fire and he gave her a small wave that she returned.

"Charlie was looking for you," he said to her sleepily.

"Thanks." He waved her away and yawned before nodding back off into his afternoon nap.


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione found Charlie doing his customary evening patrol over the fields on his broom. She waved to him and he flew down to her with an unreadable expression. She held out her hand for the keys, as it was their custom to lock the main gate when he was finished with the sweep, but he shook his head.

"We're going to town tonight and we'll lock it then." Concern was etched on his face and without thinking Hermione found herself reaching out to comfort him. She cupped his cheek affectionately and did her best to reassure him with the touch.

"Tell me everything." He gestured to a tree nearby and they sat beneath it.

"We have a meeting," he began vaguely. Hermione looked quizzically at him and he elaborated. "I got an owl a few weeks ago from someone who wants to invest in the Reserve. Or maybe buy it… he wasn't clear. I'm no good with this business stuff and I need you to come with me and make sure it's a good deal for us. Plus I think you know him. Didn't you go to school with Draco Malfoy?" Hermione's heart sank.

"Yes," she replied dully. "He was our year, but in Slytherin. Are you sure this is a good idea, Charlie?"

"Not really. Funding is drying up though. This could be the miracle we needed to stay afloat."

"You didn't tell me it was that bad," she tried not to sound accusatory with little success.

"I didn't want to worry you. There was nothing you could have done." He looked so tired. "We'll fly to the village on brooms and stay overnight at the Green Dragon. Malfoy has offered us the rooms as a gesture of goodwill." Hermione looked skeptical but could not see another way. If Charlie was willing to consider this offer then the Reserve must sorely need it.

"When do we leave?" she asked with resignation.

"I need to clean up and then we'll head out. Do you have anything a little more formal to wear?"

"I wasn't expecting a business meeting, but I'll find something." Charlie was relieved that she wasn't fighting him on this. After a few minutes of silence while they both considered the task ahead, Charlie stood up and offered her a hand. He helped her to her feet and they made their way back to the lodge to prepare.

The other keepers were already having dinner when Charlie and Hermione returned. They received a toast in their honor and Charlie announced that they would be dining out tonight. A few hoots and hollers followed them up the stairs and Hermione blushed at the insinuation. If Charlie hadn't known about the rumors before he must have an idea of what the other keepers thought now. They parted ways at the top of the stairs with a solemn nod and Hermione was struck by the impression that Charlie looked like he was heading off to plan his own funeral. Government funding had given him a lot of autonomy in how he ran the Reserve that a single investor or new owner would be unlikely to offer. To Charlie this must really be like giving up his freedom and risking the family he'd built, but of course it was something he was willing to do if the alternative was losing them entirely.

Hermione packed quickly and efficiently, trying not to dwell on the lack of formal clothing she had here. Most of the time she was wearing dragonhide gear and what went under it never really mattered. All of her clothes were simply sensible with the notable exceptions of a sundress and the formal robes she had worn to Ron's wedding. It had felt like a shame to throw them out and now she was grateful that she hadn't. She ran a finger over the seams in the silver fabric and sighed.

" _Reformabit habitu,_ " she said as she waved her wand. The formal robes twisted themselves into a tight ball and as they untwisted they changed into a smart business blazer with matching skirt. They were still silver, but that would not seem too out of place in the Green Dragon. It was, after all, a wizarding inn. She found a nondescript black shirt to wear underneath and did a final check around the room before closing her deceptively small bag and slinging it over her shoulder. She threw a warm cloak over herself in preparation for the long flight and closed the door to her room with a soft click. She met Charlie back where they had parted and after exchanging encouraging smiles they descended the steps. A few loud hoots greeted them as the other keepers expressed appreciation for their fancy appearances. Their joviality seemed to lighten Charlie's mood and he put his arm around Hermione's shoulder as they walked out the door. The gesture was so familiar and comfortable that it was only Abigail's earlier suggestion of something more that made Hermione pull away under the pretense of adjusting her skirt. If Charlie noticed he made no sign of it.

The flight to the little town of Wyverndale was chilly and Hermione was grateful for the warm cloak. There was no wind and they were able to talk normally as they flew.

"We're mostly just going to listen. I don't know what he's offering and there's no way in hell he's getting anything without some serious consideration. I'm relying on you to be critical and ask any questions that come to you."

"Got it. I won't let you down, Charlie." He spared her a smile that she hardly noticed. Hermione hated flying and it was taking every ounce of her concentration to keep the pace. Why wizards couldn't invent a more comfortable mode of transportation was beyond her. Apparition was all well and good except that some places like Hogwarts and Wyverndale had anti-apparition jinxes set up around them that made it impossible. The little town used its remoteness as a selling point and it was generally only the people who had the time or money to get there by other means that visited. Some hikers wandered through on occasion, but those travelers generally preferred to stay at the Reserve's lodge.


	3. Chapter 3

When they reached the archway over the road with a wrought iron Wyvern depicted on it Charlie and Hermione dismounted and tucked the brooms into Hermione's enchanted bag. Even with no wind Hermione's hair had escaped from its clip and Charlie looked on helplessly as she struggled to put it back into place. Finally, once she managed to get her wild tresses into a more presentable style, they set off for the Green Dragon together. Whether it was the formal clothing or the meeting ahead, Hermione and Charlie maintained an unusual distance from each other as they walked. Outside of their home at the Reserve they were wary and on edge and Hermione suddenly realized how strange and uncertain their relationship must look. They were so comfortable together that it was really no surprise that their friends questioned the boundaries of their closeness. Hermione did not get too much further with her musings as they reached the door of the inn and Charlie held it open for her to go through. His graciousness felt natural and there was humor playing around his lips as he bowed for her to enter before him. The moment of playfulness brought her back to the present and she sashayed through the door pretending to fan herself at him. For the moment she didn't care if it looked like flirting.

Stormy eyes watched them as they entered giggling at each other like young fools. Draco stiffened in his seat and his face darkened when he saw her. He was fully prepared to deal with Charlie Weasley to work out an agreement regarding the Dragon Reserve, but he had not expected _her_ to be here too. Hermione Granger. Draco shook off his surprise and stood up to greet the couple who were now being guided to his table by a stuffy looking host. He held out his hand and Charlie and Hermione shook it in turn, neither doing a very good job at hiding their discomfort.

As they seated themselves at the private table Draco had secured he tried to avoid looking impressed at Charlie. Up close his formal jacket was clearly made of dragon hide and his long red hair looked like a wild mane around his freckled face. Calloused fingers and burns on his arms identified the man as someone who handled dragons with regularity. Hermione, on the other hand, looked small and graceful in her silver garment. He tried not to look, but he could not help but notice the satisfying curves accentuated by the tight pencil skirt she wore. He guessed it was a muggle style and found he had no complaints. Hermione was too busy trying to catch Charlie's eye. Draco couldn't help the small scowl that crossed his face. Charlie clearly had no idea of the witch's attentions. He masked it and with a gesture offered them some wine. Both nodded their acceptance.

"Thank you for meeting with me," he said as he poured. "I understand that you find yourself in need of funding." Charlie cleared his throat.

"Yes, if we're getting right to the point. The Reserve isn't getting what it needs from the Ministry and after this season we might be getting even less."

"You may be wondering how I knew." Hermione's attention was fully on him now and Draco was pleased. Maybe if he was charming enough he could maintain it. "As you may have heard, my parents have died and left me with a sizable inheritance. It's no secret that I've been turning my interests to philanthropy. The Dragon Reserve's article in _Witch Weekly_ 's travel column caught my attention and I spent some time acquainting myself with its balance sheet. You need me and I need to funnel some money somewhere interesting enough for reporters." Charlie looked more and more miserable as Draco spoke, but Hermione just listened thoughtfully. It was a well rehearsed little speech with enough personal information so it sounded like he was confiding something in them, but vague enough so that they wouldn't ask too many questions.

"Mr. Malfoy-" Hermione began tentatively.

"Please call me Draco," he interrupted. "I believe this will be the beginning of a very fruitful relationship and there should be no reason to stand on ceremony." Hermione looked like she was not sure what to make of him.

"Draco," she continued carefully. The way she said it made it sound like his name had spikes. "While we appreciate your… erm… offer, Charlie and I have some concerns about what accepting would entail. Charlie has built this place up for almost a decade and we are accustomed to a certain lifestyle there." Charlie gave her a grateful look and sat up a little straighter in his chair. It was immediately clear to Draco that Charlie was far too emotionally invested in the Reserve to give up any kind of control. Not that Draco really wanted to do anything except show up in some pictures on the front page of the _Prophet_ for his stunning philanthropy. However, the idea that he could be a more involved benefactor had started to look attractive as soon as he understood that working with _her_ would be part of the deal. There was something about her and this situation that he couldn't quite put his finger on and he was quickly coming to the conclusion that this was a puzzle he wanted to solve. He looked at Charlie expecting him to weigh in, but it seemed Hermione had gotten straight to the point and addressed his concerns.

"I will provide whatever you need to run the Reserve best. I may drop in now and again, but for the most part it will remain unchanged." Charlie's eyes brightened at Draco's words and he and Hermione shared a look that Draco could not decipher. "Would now be the best time to discuss details?"

"Hermione, is it alright if I leave those details in your hands? I'm not much for business talk." Charlie dropped a chaste kiss on Hermione's cheek and shook Draco's hand before departing to the room to which the host had already sent his things. Draco and Hermione stared after him as he jumped out of his seat and left.

"He really hates this, doesn't he?" Draco asked in surprise at Charlie's abrupt departure. "Is that why he brought you on? I didn't exactly expect to see you here in Romania," Draco asked smoothly as he refreshed their empty wine glasses. Hermione flushed and avoided answering by taking a long drink from her wine.

"Well Malf- sorry - Draco, it's not relevant to this discussion, but yes. I help deal with most of the logistics, but I came on my own. Charlie didn't ask." She met his gaze unwaveringly. Without Charlie sulking next to her she was able to turn her full attention to Draco Malfoy. He looked older and more drawn than the last time she saw him at Ron's wedding, but just as elegant. He had grown into his angular features since school and it was a testament to his changing worldview that he was invited to that wedding at all. Though not always at home with the Weasleys, Draco and Lavender had become closer friends when she interviewed him after Hogwarts as practice for her journalism career.

Draco caught Hermione's expression and understood that she was sizing him up. He laughed and his whole demeanor shifted from professional to relaxed and amused.

"Hermione, it's been six years since we left Hogwarts. You already know I'm not the same idiot I was back then." He ran his long fingers through his hair and Hermione tried to relax.

"That's not what I was thinking about," she said quietly. He gave her a long look and sighed. Suddenly the table felt too big and he shifted to the seat next to her.

"Should we talk about the Reserve instead?" She looked relieved and he felt a small pang of sorrow. She nodded, but in the silence that followed he found himself asking, "Why did you just leave?" The whispered question had escaped his lips before he had a chance to stop it.

"I…" Hermione looked at her hands. "I'm sorry," she murmured.

"Please don't be." He moved closer and reached out to hold her hands, but she drew back. He looked at her sadly. She wasn't ready to talk about it yet and he didn't want to push her. Draco ran his hands through his hair again as he cast about for a change of subject. The sight of the folder he had left by his own seat brought his mind back to the original purpose of the meeting. He stood and retrieved it, opting to lean against the wall a few feet away from her while he opened it and reviewed its contents. She was surprised by the sudden change and her discomfort faded slightly as she watched him flip through the spreadsheets he had brought with him.

"The financials look as solid as they can be given the nature of the Reserve. It's unfortunate the Ministry isn't interested in funding the keeping of creatures it cannot utilise for its own purposes. Charlie appears to have spent a great deal of time lobbying for his dragons to be left alone to live as normally as possible." His eyes did not leave the pages as he spoke.

"Yes, he loves them," she answered simply.

"He doesn't want my interference but he allows yours," Draco noted. He was a little hurt at that. Hermione's relationship with Charlie was unclear, but there was something there that Draco didn't like. Hermione's eyes narrowed, but his statement seemed too benign to insinuate what she thought it might.

"Not that it's your business, but the Weasleys are like family to me."

"It's about to become my business, isn't it though?" He grinned wickedly.

"What do you want, Draco? That's why we're here, isn't it?" She looked at him pointedly, her expression demanding that he not stray from the task at hand. He sighed, knowing he could get no further until her question was answered.

"The long version or the short version?"

"Stop being coy." She was losing patience with his subtle teasing.

"Alright," he acquiesced. "In exchange for full funding I will be dropping by the Reserve on occasion. You'll need to teach me the ropes so I have a full understanding of how it runs and I may make some minor changes if I find efficiencies that need to be increased. I want to be charitable, but in the projections I've made I expect that we can have this place back up and running independently in the future." He closed the folder and handed it to Hermione who accepted it and rifled through the pages. "Charlie should notice hardly any changes other than less time with you." She looked at him with narrowed eyes and this time she was certain of the insinuation.

"As long as my work does not falter then this should be acceptable and Charlie will be fine." Graceful and diplomatic. Hermione never failed to impress him with her poise. Though the last time she had needed to maintain poise in spite of inner turmoil she had ended up in his arms. He smiled inwardly at the memory of the kiss that had ended with tangled limbs and wild hair. Her avoidance of the question suggested to him that the only way Charlie would be really interested in her would be if she started breathing fire.

"You don't mind?" This last question was hopeful. He did not clarify if he meant Charlie or his following her and learning from her.

"No, I don't mind." She didn't clarify either and for a tense moment she held his gaze as if daring him to ask for the clarification. He didn't want it.

"Then I think we can discuss more once you have had a chance to look at the documents I've provided you. For now I will bid you goodnight." With a flourish he bowed and took her hand, kissing it and giving her a mischievous wink. She stood and he followed her to the host.

"Sir, please give this lady your finest room." The host bowed slightly and offered Hermione a large brass key before leading her to the room. "Goodnight, Hermione."

"Goodnight, Draco." In spite of her misgivings, Draco had been a perfect gentleman. If she was honest with herself, Hermione might even admit that she was looking forward to seeing him again on her own turf.

The room was luxurious and beautiful, but Hermione was so drained from the evening that she fell into bed without changing and drifted off into a deep slumber.

* * *

 **Author's note:** Thanks for hanging in there everyone! Sorry it took so long to actually get Draco into the story, but he's here and he's here to stay. I'll keep writing and uploading chapters as quickly as I can! Thank you so much for the reviews so far. You're so lovely.

-E


	4. Chapter 4

Hermione awoke to an owl tapping on her window. Refusing to leave the warm comfort of the bed, she fumbled to find her wand on the nightstand to let the owl in. A chilly breeze followed the owl and Hermione pulled the covers around herself as she sat up to accept the letter it brought. Now relieved of its duty, the owl immediately took off through the still open window and Hermione closed it again with another wave of her wand.

 _Dear Hermione,_

 _One of these days I'll have to come visit when the dragons are active. Hagrid keeps raving about his visit last summer and... let's just say you should keep an eye on any eggs you've got. I'll be around for a bit before Christmas. Maybe you'll join us at the Burrow for the holidays afterwards? We've missed you. Anyway, give my best to Charlie. I'll see you both in a couple of months!_

 _-Harry_

Hermione smiled happily as she folded the letter back up and placed it on the nightstand next to her wand. Sometime in the night she had awoken and in a sleepy haze had managed to shed the silver suit and toss it on the floor. She wrinkled her nose at the discarded clothing that was so out of place in the pristine suite and, with a groan, she pulled herself out of the bed to retrieve it. Colored light filtered through the stained glass panes bordering the large window and Hermione couldn't help but pause her tidying to take in the view. In the distance she could see smoke coming from the lodge's chimney at the Reserve, but it was almost obscured by the fog that blanketed the Bucegi Mountains this early in the morning. Hermione stood there reveling in the beautiful landscape when a knock at the door broke the peaceful silence.

Hermione quickly folded the suit and tossed it into her bag. "Just a minute!" She called as she opened the closets in search of a robe - these elegant places always had a robe somewhere. The one she found was deliciously warm and Hermione was delighted by the softness of the material against her skin. Surely, this robe was the very definition of luxury!

She opened the door to find a very impatient Charlie leaning against the door frame fully dressed and holding her cloak out for her. "We should head back soon," he said shortly. Hermione noticed him look disapprovingly around her room before giving her a questioning look. Malfoy, it seemed, had not offered him the same hospitality. Hermione shrugged and shook her head.

"I'll get ready and meet you downstairs if you like," Hermione offered. She would have loved to stay, but understood Charlie's discomfort. He did not like being shut indoors and was distrustful of the accommodations. Dragons, unlike people, were dangerous in a way he understood. Malfoy may have had the best intentions in offering the rooms, but Charlie was out of place here and could not wait to get back to the Reserve. Hermione sighed as she closed the door. She had never stayed in a place like this before and wouldn't have minded more time to experience it before maybe even venturing into the town to explore. Given her distaste for flight she did not make it into Wyverndale very often and had privately hoped to make the most of the outing. Unfortunately, she hadn't factored in Charlie's desperate desire to get back home.

Hermione resisted the temptation to try out all the knobs and dials in the large bath and instead readied herself for the return flight. Heavy boots replaced the dainty heels she had worn yesterday and a jumper, lovingly made my Molly Weasley, pulled over her sensible ensemble made palpable the stark contrast between her own lifestyle and the one that this suite represented. Hermione spared one more long look at the lush decor and pulled her cloak back over her shoulders before finally heading back down the stairs to join Charlie on the flight back into the heart of the mountains.

She found Charlie already waiting outside for her to pull the stored brooms out of her bag. He looked much happier in the fresh air. Once on his own broom he waited for Hermione to finish adjusting the clasps on her cloak before she mounted her own.

"It smells like snow," he said happily. Hermione closed her eyes and tried to catch whatever he sensed on the breeze, but could not tell the difference from the smell of the mountains any other day. He did a few loop-de-loops on his broom to let out the stored energy of feeling cooped up for too long and then dropped his broom back to where Hermione was flying. They flew side by side in comfortable silence, each lost in thought about the coming changes this winter would bring.

They arrived at the lodge only a couple of hours later and the other keepers were busying themselves with lunch. They were scattered around outside on boulders and benches that had been dragged out so they could enjoy what little was left of the fall before snowy winter overtook the landscape. Charlie had warmed up considerably the closer they got to the Reserve and Hermione had even managed to fill him in on the details Draco had provided regarding his investment. Charlie had been thrilled to hear that their investor would not be interfering with the Reserve and had hardly paid attention to the rest of what Hermione tried to tell him after that.

"He'll be around a little learning about the place from me," Hermione finished telling him as they dismounted and stored their brooms.

"Sure, sure," Charlie said absentmindedly. His eyes were on the sandwich station the keepers had set up and he rubbed his hands together excitedly. "Lunch!" He hurried off to make himself a sandwich and Hermione trailed a ways behind him wondering how we would break the news to the other keepers. When she caught up to him he already had a sandwich ready for her which she accepted gratefully. He caught her in a quick hug and whispered, "thanks, Hermione. I'll announce it once everything is finalized," before rushing off to join the group of keepers waving him over.

Hermione looked around and saw Abigail waving to her from under a nearby tree. Hermione plopped down next to her on the picnic blanket and took a bite of the sandwich.

"Well, how was the town?" Abigail asked casually. Hermione considered the other witch carefully as she chewed and quickly decided that she could share everything with her. They had come to know each other very well over the past couple of years and Hermione had come to consider Abigail to be one of her closer friends here.

"Can you keep a secret?" Abigail immediately scooted closer, her eyes dancing with delight.

"Spill!" She demanded quietly. Hermione looked around before responding, checking that no one was within earshot.

"We met with Draco Malfoy last night," Hermione confided. Abigail's eyes grew wide. "Charlie won't admit it, but the Reserve's funding has been drying up. Somehow Malfoy found out and he's offered to invest."

"What!?" Abigail clapped her hands over her mouth, but it seemed her outburst had gone unnoticed. "What?" she asked again more softly. "Is the boss going to take the offer? It can't be that easy." Hermione nodded and Abigail put her hands into the air in exasperation. "You'd think he would share something like that!"

"He will as soon as it's all finalized. Until then it looks like Draco will be hanging around to try to understand how the Reserve runs," Hermione took another bite of the sandwich to try to hide her blush at the thought of spending more time with him. Abigail watched her shrewdly and waited for Hermione to swallow before catching her eye.

"Draco?" Abigail had not missed the sudden use of his first name and had not failed to notice its effect on her friend. Hermione tried to shrug it off and distract the other witch by telling her about the meeting and the room she'd stayed in at the Green Dragon. Abigail let out a long whistle at the description of the stained glass window and the robe.

"What I wouldn't give to see the boss in a place like that!"

"I think his room wasn't quite as ornate as mine," Hermione mumbled.

"Probably for the best that it wasn't," Abigail laughed. "He would have hated it." She popped a couple of dried berries into her mouth and chewed thoughtfully. "Seems strange that Malfoy would give you a nicer room if he's doing business with Charlie though. Any idea what that's about?"

"It might have something to do with a kiss…" Hermione said sheepishly.

"Dang girl! You kissed him?" Abigail punched her playfully on the arm and Hermione was heartened. Abigail could be trusted not to be judgmental when so many others might be.

"You cannot tell a soul!" Abigail mimed locking her mouth and throwing away the key. Hermione continued in a whisper that Abigail had to lean in further to hear. "At Ron's wedding three years ago I got sick of all the pity I was getting since they all expected me to end up with him. I took a walk in the gardens to cool off and he was there - Draco, I mean - and we talked for a while and ended up kissing."

"Just kissing?" Abigail asked wickedly.

"It was intense," Hermione admitted. Abigail gestured for Hermione to continue. "But then he looked at me and I… it felt…" she trailed off as she cast about for the right words. "

"It felt right?" Abigail offered helpfully.

"Kind of?" Hermione wrinkled her nose and smiled wistfully. "No one had ever looked at me like that before. It felt for a moment like nothing else mattered and I swear I saw an entire possible future materialize in front of me if I decided to take the step forward." Abigail lay back onto the picnic blanket and watched a cloud lazily drift across the sky overhead.

"That's when you came here, isn't it?"

"I ran away. I left right then and there." Hermione couldn't believe she was sharing all of this with another person, but Hermione felt confident that she would keep her secret. Besides, now that he was here it felt necessary to clue someone else into what was happening. It was a relief to finally talk about it.

The other keepers were chasing each other on brooms in an aerial game of tag. Hermione and Abigail watched them for a while until Abigail broke the silence.

"What about Charlie?"

"I don't know," Hermione answered. Her feelings towards him had become muddled. They were so close, but she suspected any possible romance would fizzle long before it started with Charlie much like it had with Ron. The two witches watched as Ford succeeded in tackling Tamar who immediately took off after Charlie who had flown a little too close.

"I'm going back inside," Abigail announced. Hermione helped her pack up the picnic and they linked arms to brace themselves against the evening chill that had started to creep over the mountain. On the way back they chatted more about the dragons and tossed around ideas for outings and adventures for when the snow inevitably came and confined them to the lodge. As they warmed themselves by the fire other keepers began to filter in and join in the discussion of plans. Though Hermione's ideal plan would have been to stay in with a good book by the fire, she found herself promising to teach the other keepers to ski.

"Sticks! On your feet! What will the muggles come up with next?" one of them marveled. Hermione noticed Charlie come in later with a letter in his hand. He sat apart from the group now speculating on where else sticks could be strapped for novel purposes. Hermione watched out of the corner of her eye as he read the letter and gingerly folded it back up before noticing her watching him and patted the seat next to him. Hermione excused herself from the group to see what he wanted.

As she approached he held out the letter for her and she took it, read it over quickly, and handed it back to him before sitting down. The letter contained a carefully outlined plan for Draco's investment and a request for a signature if it was acceptable.

"It looks good, doesn't it?" Charlie said hopefully.

"His demands certainly include a lot of time spent with, as he puts it, The Chief Logistical Officer," Hermione said slowly. Charlie gave her a pleading look and she sighed. "Fine, Charlie. I'll do it." He practically knocked her out of the chair with his hug.

"I wouldn't have said yes if you weren't okay with it," he mumbled into her shoulder.

"Thanks," she said lamely. He let go and summoned a quill to sign the parchment. As he bounded out of the room to send his signature away to Draco via owl Hermione's heart sank. There was no running away this time.


	5. Chapter 5

When Charlie sent his signed contract to Malfoy, Hermione had braced herself for impact. Yet, weeks had passed and nothing had happened. From their meeting she had expected Draco to descend on the Reserve and use his new privileged position to annoy her, but nothing had happened. His motives then were unclear. Now they were even more nebulous.

Winter had blanketed the Reserve in so much snow that the keepers had gone beyond the usual snow fort and created towering sculptures and villas. To keep their boredom at bay, Hermione and Charlie spent three days poring over a blueprint for their own snow structure which they finally built over night while the other keepers slept.

As a gift to their friends, Hermione and Charlie had constructed a decadent castle with a life size dragon made of ice at the top that occasionally shot flurries from its mouth. Three days before Christmas the keepers awoke and found a red carpet leading from the lodge's doors to the middle of a snowy field where the castle stood waiting with a note pinned to the giant door.

 _Come one, come all!_

 _To this masquerade ball._

 _Bring your finery and mask._

 _Celebration is your only task._

 _On New Year's Eve at 9_

 _These gates will open and we invite you to dine._

 _Dancing and laughter_

 _And whatever may happen thereafter…._

Back at the lodge Hermione had arranged portkeys to the gates of Wyverndale for the keepers to go shopping, and Charlie surprised them all with a Christmas bonus. When he announced it Hermione eyed him suspiciously, wondering if he had already been in contact with Malfoy and hadn't told her. Charlie studiously avoided her gaze and Hermione made a mental note to pay better attention to the comings and goings of the owls to the lodge. It was unusual for Charlie to keep things from her, particularly when it came to running the Reserve. If this was part of the change Malfoy was bringing, Hermione was certain she did not like it.

Galleons weighing them down, the keepers grouped up around their portkeys and disappeared together for their day out. Hermione maneuvered herself to take the same one as Charlie and together their little group took a deep breath before the portkey activated and lurched them out of the lodge and into a clearing just outside the town. After dusting themselves off, the keepers hurried off in smaller groups to enjoy their time in the village. Charlie had fallen head first into a snowbank and was grinning ear to ear as he stood and offered Hermione his arm. She helped him brush the snow from his hair and together they trudged through the gates and straight to the Blind Bat, a little tavern nestled into the hillside at the far edge of town. They said nothing as they marched past the keepers diving excitedly in and out of shops, and did not break their silence until they had hung their cloaks and settled into a booth with two pints of butterbeer on the way.

"A Christmas bonus was very generous," Hermione said finally.

"They deserved it," Charlie answered.

"You're evading." Charlie sighed and took a long sip from the butterbeer a witch had just delivered. "Have you had more news about the contract?" Hermione prodded gently.

"I'm not hiding anything from you, Hermione. I had one owl from Malfoy suggesting he might visit soon to review expenses and see if anything needed a little extra attention, but that was exactly what he told you. The bonus was from my own wages. I had some extra saved up and I thought we might need a send off. You know, for what the Reserve was when it was just us." Charlie looked a little sad as he said it and Hermione felt a rush of compassion.

"I'm sorry I doubted you, Charlie. Malfoy just gets me a little worked up."

Charlie leaned back and crossed his arms. "You didn't get along in school, right?" He looked thoughtful. "But I know I saw him at my brother's wedding, so he must have done something right since then."

Hermione shrugged. "Maybe. Let's talk about something else. I think I've spent far too much time speculating on him and this whole investment while I should have been planning the masquerade." Hermione waved her wand and their blueprints appeared on the table, rolling out and almost tipping Charlie's glass.

"Whoa, Hermione!" Charlie caught the butterbeer before it spilled and cradled it to his chest, protecting it from Hermione's aggressive conjuring. Hermione barely seemed to notice as she worked the complicated spells to bring the blueprints and notes to life. A miniature castle with transparent walls rose from the parchment and Hermione was carefully rearranging tiny tables around the great hall inside it. Uncertain of how to help, Charlie prodded the miniature dragon with his wand and coaxed it through some elaborate acrobatics while Hermione reviewed her notes and muttered to herself.

"...there should be enough rooms if I expand the annex…"

"Enough rooms?" Charlie interrupted.

"Of course. Some of the keepers had already arranged to have family visit for the holiday. Don't you remember that your mother is coming?"

Charlie face paled under his freckles. "Christmas. Right. I should have sent an invitation."

"Already taken care of," Hermione said as she pulled out a stack of spare invitations and a new list Charlie had not seen before. "Keepers got a few of these each to send out as well."

Charlie threw down a couple of sickles to pay for his butterbeer and excused himself quickly as he mumbled something about "finding a better costume." His mother was already on his back for not visiting enough and the best way to get set Molly Weasley at ease was to impress her with your self-sufficiency. For Charlie this generally meant looking professional since his appearance was often a point of tension with his mother.

"Do you need anything else, dear?" The witch who had brought their butterbeer had returned to clear the empty glasses. "Maybe something a little stronger?"

"Definitely something stronger," a voice answered from behind the witch and she stepped aside to let him through. Draco Malfoy slid into the booth across from Hermione and stretched himself out languidly over the seat. "A bottle of your finest wine if you please." The witch picked up the sickles and smiled her approval at the order before sashaying away.

"You don't have to-"

"I think you'll find that I do," Draco interrupted. He had picked up Hermione's notes and charts and was rifling through the parchment pages. Hermione half-heartedly tried to grab them back, but he held them out of reach as he read through them. The serving witch returned with the wine and two glasses. She poured a small amount into a glass that Draco accepted and tried without taking his eyes off the parchment. At his nod she filled both glasses and left them alone again.

"You can stop staring at me like that. I'm here to help you out, remember?"

"Actually, _Mr. Malfoy_ , I have no idea why you're here," she snapped. She summoned the pages back to her own hand with her wand, but he barely blinked and instead leaned back to drink his wine as if he had given the notes back himself.

"The keepers you've set loose in town talk very freely and I saw Charlie leave this place and practically apparate to the closest shop. I can't imagine what you might have done to him to make him run like that." He looked amused despite Hermione's cold expression. "Ms. Granger, we are now colleagues and from what I can tell you are planning a rather large event. As Mr. Weasley is not here, I humbly offer my own assistance." Hermione snorted, but she relaxed a little at the formality of his address. His new approach seemed to involve keeping a more respectful distance that Hermione felt much more comfortable with, especially if it meant he never brought up the kiss again.

"Alright," she assented. "Everything should be done, but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to have an extra set of eyes look over everything." She offered the parchment back to Draco who dropped his lazy pose and leaned forward excitedly to accept it. The image of a cat lying in wait for its prey to get too close came unbidden to Hermione's mind as she watched him tearing through her notes and scribbling in the margins. She tried not to flinch as his quill marked up her beautifully arranged charts, and waited for him to finish.

"I should hire you to run all my events. Very thorough." He handed the parchment back to her and she was surprised to see that he had rearranged only a couple of tables and removed the buffet. "However, a buffet is hardly the elegance this ball needs. Malfoy Enterprises will be more than happy to supply a chef and appropriate waitstaff. With that done you now have time to enjoy yourself and help me drink this wine." He winked and she hurriedly took a sip of the wine.

"Thank you. That's very kind."

"Like I said, I'm just here to help." With an elegant flick of his wand, the parchments rolled themselves back up and the model ice castle disappeared.

Gathering some confidence from the wine Hermione lifted her glass. "What are we drinking to, Mr. Malfoy?"

His eyes danced wickedly. "Us, Ms. Granger. To working together successfully and a future without any of these last name formalities." He raised his own glass and drained it.

"To working together," Hermione agreed. She looked him dead in the eye as she drained her own glass and held it out for him to refill. Her gaze held a challenge; It seemed Ms. Granger wanted to see what he was made of. Draco couldn't wait to show her.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's note: Thank you all for your kind reviews! I'm hoping to be updating with more frequency, especially since I think I have a decent idea of where this whole thing is headed. Now I'll just hope that Overwatch doesn't have another massive event that I want to spend so much time playing... I'm joking. Kind of...**

 **Enjoy!**

 **-E**

* * *

 _Soft._ The sensation thrilled Hermione and she snuggled further into the bed.

 _Soft…_

"Soft?" She finally said aloud. Soft was not generally the first thought that came to mind when describing her own bed. Comfortable and functional, maybe. Not soft.

She opened her eyes blearily and tried to assess her surroundings.

"Hello?" Her voice cracked. The silence of the room heartened her and she sat up with her feet dangling from the side of the bed. Her toes brushed soft slippers and she put them on clumsily. A path lit on the floor when she finally stood up and she followed it in confusion to the vanity. Looking back at her in the mirror was a fully dressed Hermione with wild hair and a disoriented look on her face. She looked down and sitting right in front of her was a potion with a note attached to it.

 _Drink me._

Hermione picked it up and then put the bottle back down without following its instruction. She knew better than to drink strange potions just because they asked. The label changed as the bottle touched the vanity again.

 _Drink me please?_

No, not even if they asked nicely. She leaned in to get a closer look at the bottle, noting that the color and the way it swirled looked suspiciously like her hangover cure. She found her wand in her pocket where she always kept it and prodded the bottle with it.

"Fine!" she said to the bottle. Her pounding head demanded the cure and she was certain enough that the potion was exactly that. She picked it up, wrinkled her nose at her own recklessness, and swallowed it in one gulp. When she set down the empty bottle the light that had been her path to the vanity skated across the room to find its way to the lamps. Her headache was already fading and Hermione couldn't help but wonder who her guardian was this morning. It was a very thoughtful thing to offer low lighting until after she'd had the hangover potion, but who had brewed it? Who had brought it here? Where was here?

Now with adequate lighting, Hermione began to explore the room. It looked like a hotel room, but not one where she had ever been before. It was not luxurious and was outfitted with only basic furniture and a door Hermione assumed led to a bathroom, she concluded it was at least somewhere affordable she might have checked herself into last night. It was not advisable to travel by magic after drinking several bottles of very fine wine with your childhood nemesis, after all. A knock at the door had Hermione on guard again. She tiptoed to the door and looked through the peephole, but there was only a tray outside with no one around. She opened the door cautiously and brought the tray inside. Under a silver cloche Hermione found only a piece of chocolate cake with another small label affixed to it.

 _Eat me._

"Like hell I will!" Hermione jumped back from the cake with her wand drawn. " _Revelio_ ," she tried, but nothing happened. Uncertain of what else to do, Hermione put the cloche back over the plate and then removed it again to see if anything had changed. Like the potion, the label on the cake had altered its text after being rejected.

 _Eat me please?_

Hermione sighed. Her mysterious benefactor had been kind enough to supply her with a potion that George Weasley had only given her after years of pleading - and even then it had been with her promise that she would not share the recipe. Whoever had supplied this morning's potion must be someone very close to George. Hermione relaxed at the thought and picked up the fork.

"The question now, I suppose, is how much I trust George." The cake sat silently as a cake is wont to do and Hermione steadied herself with a deep breath before taking a bite.

Hermione fell back on the floor and began twitching uncontrollably as images flashed before her eyes. The flood of memories from the night before rushing back all in one intense minute left Hermione breathless and sweating. The cake must have been laced with something, but she'd never heard of a potion to restore lost memories. Nausea overwhelmed her and she rushed to the bathroom to expel the contents of her stomach.

 _Hermione was making snowmen on the table out of snow she had conjured. She was giggling madly over their raisin eyes and toothpick arms. They had been drinking fine wine all night and Hermione's cheeks were flushed and her wild hair made her look like she had put a finger in a light socket. Draco's lopsided grin was the only sign that he had matched her glass for glass._

 _From her little snowy wonderland on the table, Draco made a little dragon to chase her snowmen around. They waved their toothpick arms in comical terror as they scooted away from the snow flurries the dragon was showering over them. Clearly unhappy with the mess they were making, the serving witch dropped their bill grumpily into the snow pile and left without saying a word. Understanding that it was time to go, Draco dropped a few galleons into it before leaping up and tossing Hermione her cloak. He looked relieved when she laughed as she extricated herself from the tangle of fabric she'd failed to catch and had just landed on her head. He helped her put it on and she waited patiently with her chin tilted skyward while he did her clasp._

 _The smooth skin of Hermione's neck exposed close enough to caress in a gesture of innocent trust had Draco fumbling with the clasp for a little longer than was necessary. Hermione did not seem to notice and held her pose until he reached around her to pull the hood of her cloak over her unruly hair. Her eyes danced as she looked at him with pure joy and he felt his heart skip a beat. He took her hand and she interlaced her fingers with his. He scarcely dared to marvel at how well they fit together as he led her through the door. Before they left he did throw a quick_ Scourgify _over his shoulder to clear away the snowy mess they had made that was now melting onto the floor._

" _That was so thoughtful," Hermione said in a stage whisper. Draco squeezed her hand lightly with his, but did not trust himself to speak. This was going far too well and in the past he'd had a knack for saying exactly the wrong thing to her._

 _He'd led her to a shop that a pleasant elderly witch unlocked for them when Draco knocked. Hermione was too distracted by the fine fabrics to not notice the money the woman tucked away after Draco passed by her._

" _Come dear, let's make you something stunning." Draco reluctantly let go of Hermione's hand as the old witch led her away. For the next couple of hourss Hermione tried on robes and dresses of fabrics so fine she could not help but run her fingers through them all until the other witch gently guided her hands to a clasped position where they wouldn't get in the way. The very tipsy Hermione was thrilled by the attention and did not mind the subtle demand to be still._

 _Hermione lost track of time while the witch worked her seamstress magic. The completed gown was extraordinary and the still inebriated Hermione lost herself for a while doing slow turns in front of the mirror, not quite believing she was looking at herself._

" _Let's put this away, shall we dear? He will hardly recognize you in it and it will be ever so much more fun if it's a surprise." Hermione opened her mouth, but found no words. She closed her mouth again and nodded, unable to tear her eyes away from her reflection. The witch waved her wand and Hermione was back in her ordinary clothes and the breathtaking gown was in a sealed garment bag the witch handed to Hermione._

" _Thank you," Hermione finally managed._

" _You're welcome, dear."_

 _Back in the main shop Draco was asleep on a chair he'd found tucked away in a corner. He awoke when Hermione and the old witch emerged. He stood and bowed to the old witch._

" _Thank you, madam. Please send the bill to my estate and it will be taken care of."_

" _It is always a pleasure, Mr. Malfoy."_

 _Hermione and Draco stepped back out into the snowy night. He offered to carry the garment bag for her, but she only held it tighter._

 _They walked together holding hands in silence through the town. All the other inhabitants and patrons had long since turned out their lights and gone to bed. It felt like the world was made for them and there was a magic between them that Hogwarts could not have taught._

 _Back at_ The Green Dragon _Draco paused before opening the door. "Would you honor me with your presence at breakfast tomorrow morning?"_

 _Hermione lifted herself up to her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "I would love to." She tottered a little, still feeling the effects of the wine, but he caught her. For a moment they looked into each other's eyes and her heart raced with anticipation. He was so close. She leaned in a little, but he only dropped a chaste kiss on her cheek and stepped away to open the door. As she passed through the door and he followed behind, she was glad he could not see her disappointment. Even when he left her at the room he arranged for her with the concierge he was a perfect gentleman. Too perfect._

Lying on the bathroom floor Hermione felt vaguely nauseous again, but this time it had less to do with the contents of the cake and more with the contents of the memories. She couldn't believe she'd allowed him to get so close. She also couldn't believe he hadn't followed through with her cues. If he'd kissed her… well, she was certainly uninhibited enough to have considered going a lot further. Hermione groaned at the thought and pushed herself into a more seated position. If she was being honest with herself it had been a really lovely evening. She had felt so free and unguarded, but it was Malfoy. He was attractive; that much was obvious. Yet, Hermione knew better than to let her hormones take the lead. He may be taller and more handsome, but he was still the racist prick who tried to make her life miserable for seven years. She accepted that he may have changed, but she was still wary of him.

In the shower she tried vigorously to scrub away her developing feelings with the bar of soap as if they were a contaminant she could disinfect away. Eventually she emerged feeling clean, but still slightly miserable.

She dressed herself quickly and managed to style her hair into a loose bun that kept the wild curls out of her face. She gave herself one last look in the mirror before letting herself out and descending the stairs to the restaurant. She had a breakfast date to go to, after all.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello again! My absence was longer than expected and I hope that this chapter makes the wait worthwhile! If not... more soon!**

 **-E**

* * *

Draco was waiting at a secluded table with a pot of tea in front of him. He had his gaze trained on the staircase at the front of the inn, apparently having forgotten that there were two. Hermione had opted for the more private back stair and gave herself an extra few moments to survey the scene before approaching.

Draco looked nervous. The frequent adjusting of his cuffs and his too-straight posture gave him away. It was normal - well, as normal as Draco Malfoy ever really was - for him to look poised and formal, but he seemed to have taken some extra care in his appearance today. His freshly pressed suit had distinctly muggle tailoring that accentuated his broad shoulders and otherwise slim build. It even looked like he might have gotten a haircut since last night. Hermione began to blush as she took him in, a vague feeling of guilt at her voyeurism overtaking her apprehension at getting his attention.

"Good morning," she said softly. He jumped out of his seat in surprise, but managed to compose himself quickly.

"You came," he said. Was that relief Hermione detected in his voice?

"Yes." She did not think it necessary to tell him that she almost hadn't. She was here now. He made to move her chair out for her, but she waved him back. He sat back down looking a little put out.

"Tea?"

"Yes, thank you."

Hermione's formality and curt tone was making Draco anxious. If she'd taken the potions he laid out for her then she should remember how lovely their night had been and not even feel hungover. She looked refreshed and she had come, so he was confident she had taken them and was confused at this reception. He poured her a cup, but she did not touch it.

An awkward silence hung between them until finally Draco couldn't take it any longer.

"Is everything alright?"

"Yes, thank you."

More awkward silence followed and Draco tried again. "I really enjoyed our evening together."

"Mm." Hermione took a sip of tea.

"Did I do something wrong?"

Hermione placed her teacup back on its saucer and looked at him with an expression he couldn't read. Annoyance? Disappointment? "I'm sorry, Mr. Malfoy. I am just not accustomed to my business associates getting me drunk to buy me things."

"I… what? That's not what I… That's not…"

"Not what happened?"

"Yes, but…" Draco took a deep breath. "I thought we were having fun. I was not there to get you drunk. Or do anything else to you without your explicit consent." Butterflies swarmed in Hermione's stomach, but she ignored them. On the way down the stairs this morning she had made the decision that she would not get involved with him. There was too much history that she was not ready to forgive, and one grand gesture and an unexpected attraction weren't going to make her forget it.

Draco sighed exasperatedly and ran his fingers through his hair. Hermione was unlike any witch he had ever tried courting, mostly in that he couldn't seem to do a single thing right. "I'm sorry. I did not realize I was crossing any lines. Please keep the dress."

"Thank you. Did you even get a chance to see what it looked like?" Draco shook his head dejectedly.

Hermione reached into her pocket and slid an envelope across the table to him as she stood up. "I should get going," she said, "but you should get a chance to see it. It might be a good opportunity for you to meet the keepers anyway." Draco opened the invitation slowly as if it might bite him if he wasn't gentle enough.

"Thank you".

Hermione had brought her things down with her and gathered them quickly before making her way to the front of the inn. The dress in its garment bag was wrapped in her cloak, and her papers and notes were tucked neatly into a well-worn satchel she slung over her shoulder. The concierge directed her to the correct fireplace to floo back to the Reserve and in a moment she was gone. Draco watched her leave from his seat at the table and as soon as she was gone he rose to his feet, donned his own cloak, and made his way back down the street to the formal robes shop they had visited together. If she was going to give him a chance then he wasn't going to waste it.

Hermione coughed as she was dropped roughly into the Lodge's large fireplace directly into a large group of keepers playing cards. Their chatter abruptly stopped as she stood and brushed herself off. Her cloak had protected the dress well enough, but some papers had fallen out of her bag.

"You might need these," said a very familiar voice.

"Harry!" Hermione ignored the papers he was holding out to her and practically leapt to hug him.

"It's good to see you, Hermione." She stepped back and surveyed him. It had been a year since they had last seen each other and he looked as disheveled as ever. She beamed at him and he grinned back.

"How long have you been here? I wouldn't have stayed out last night if I knew you were going to be here before the masquerade."

"We got in this morning. Mum made us all get up and floo in early to _help out as good guests ought_ ," said a voice behind Harry in its best imitation of Molly Weasley.

"Ron!" Hermione rushed to hug him as well. She hadn't seen him since his wedding three years ago. He was tanned and was getting lines around his mouth that were a testament to his happy marriage and carefree life. "I can't believe you're all here." The keepers around the fire dispersed to give the Weasleys a chance to bombard Hermione and Charlie, who had appeared with Bill, in relative peace. Tears of joy stung Hermione's eyes as she exchanged hugs with everyone. Ginny, Lavender, George, Bill, Fleur, Percy and his wife Daphne, Arthur, Molly, Harry, and Ron had all come to share the holiday with them and Hermione could hardly believe it.

"Have you eaten, dear?" Hermione shook her head and Molly led the way to the table. Dishes full of delicious-smelling food flew into place settings Fleur was arranging along the large communal table.

"Molly, how many people are you feeding here?" Hermione's eyes grew wide as she took in the room. It looked more like the great hall at Hogwarts, albeit a more cramped version, than the Lodge ordinarily looked. There were long banquet tables taking up the entire room and all of them with food to feed an army.

"Everyone, of course," she gestured to the keepers that had started to drift back towards them and for the first time Hermione realized that it wasn't all keepers. Families and friends were appearing by floo and being greeted by the keepers who invited them. Hermione's plan for a masquerade had been a popular one and there were now more people in the Lodge than had ever been there before at the same time, with even more arriving every minute.

Once everyone had settled into their seats, Charlie stood and raised a glass.

"I'm not one for speeches, so I'll keep this short." Keepers cheered appreciatively and with a grin Charlie waved for silence. "You are all my family and it is my great pleasure to have you all here in the home we've made together. I propose a toast - to you all! You excellent beasts! Happy Christmas!"

"And to dragons!" The keepers rang out in unison, and together they drained their glasses with their guests.

The feast was devoured joyously, the mead and ale refilled frequently, brunch had run long and turned into dinner, and at the end of it all everyone made way to their rooms. Everyone was crowded together into the keepers' rooms, but it was such a comfortable arrangement that there were no complaints. The Weasleys split themselves between Hermione and Charlie's rooms and at the end of the night the only ones left by the main fireplace were Ron, Harry, and Hermione.

"Bit like old times, this," Ron noted.

"Like how we used to stay up in the common room, you mean?" Harry asked.

"I missed this," Hermione murmured to the fire.

"I don't miss some things," Harry said. He covered his eyes with a hand as if to pull back the haunting memories and Hermione reached over. He took her hand with a squeeze and shook off the old horrors with a small smile. "I'm all right."

"'Course you are, mate! No need to get worked up over anything that isn't this masquerade thing Hermione's cooked up." The tension broken, she grinned at Ron.

"Cooked up? Ronald, seriously. I just thought my friends here could let off some steam before Malfoy strolls in and takes over and I needed an excuse to get you two out here. It's been too long since we've seen each other."

"Hang on, Hermione. What's Malfoy got to do with this?" Harry looked serious and Ron was carefully avoiding his gaze. "Ron! You know about this?"

"Lavender told me. She's friends with him since that article and he told her."

"Oh, Harry, don't worry! It's all strictly business and it will be good for this place to get some extra money. The Reserve just isn't getting the Ministry funding it used to." Harry looked skeptical.

"Strictly business," Ron snorted. Hermione looked at him sharply.

"I've had plenty of time to discuss details of his investment and it is strictly business, I promise." Hermione hoped she wasn't blushing.

"What do you know, Ron? Did Lavender say more?" Harry asked.

"Malfoy asked Lav where Hermione went after the wedding, but she wouldn't tell him anything. You asked for privacy and Lav respected that. She didn't even mention you when he said he was going to talk to Charlie about this place. Then he told her he was going to be spending more time in Romania and she knew he must have found you. I wanted to say something, but she wouldn't let me."

"She wouldn't let you?" Harry asked, incredulous. "What if Hermione was in danger?"

"Nah, he wouldn't hurt her. He's not like the prat we knew in school at all."

"Do you really think he's changed that much?" Hermione asked.

"Lavender seems to think so. He's been great when he's come over for dinner and mum even invited him to the Burrow a couple of times. She thinks he's lonely in that big manor by himself."

"I certainly wouldn't want to spend any more time there than I had to," Harry agreed.

"Either way, this is just business. It's not personal." Ron shrugged and changed the subject to quidditch. Ginny was playing for the Holyhead Harpies and they were going to be playing against the Chudley Cannons after the holiday. Ron was torn on who to root for, lamenting that his sister couldn't have played for the Cannons. While they discussed tactics and playing styles, Hermione contemplated what Ron had said about Draco. He'd asked about her and hadn't tracked her down when told she asked for privacy.

 _He asked about me_. The thought reawakened the butterflies in her stomach and she couldn't help but smile.


End file.
